Timing device for carrier-pigeons.



jNo. 703,38l. Patented July- I, I902. E BUYSSE. TIMING DEVICE FOR CARRIER PIGEONS.

(Application filed Jan. 2. 1902.)

(No Model.)

THE Nomus PEYERS coy, PHOTQ-LITHQ, WASHINGTOMD. c.

UNITED STATES P TENT FFICE.

EDWVARD BUYSSE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

TIMING DEVICE FUR GARRBER PIGEQNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,381, dated July 1, 1902. Application filed January 2, 1902. Serial No. 88,181. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BUYssE, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timing Devices for Carrier-Pigeons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,'and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a timing device for carrier-pigeons; and its object is to provide a simple and inexpensive apparatus of this character which will accurately record the time of the flight of the birds.

My invention consists of a box containing one or more watches wound and set to stop or start at a predetermined time. In thebox are one or more compartments to receive the identification-band, usually carried on the leg of each bird, and the timepieces are connected with the door or shutter which controls the opening to the said compartments, so that when the band has been introduced therein and the opening closed the balance-wheel of the timepieces will be automatically engaged by the mechanism to stop or start the timepieces, and thus an accurate timing of the birds flight is obtained.

The device is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of the device with the top lid removed to show the compartments and the dials of the watches. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, showing in dotted lines the different positions of the shutter which controls the openings through which the identification-bands are introduced. Fig. 3 is a bottom view with the cover removed to show the mechanism for starting or stopping the watches. Fig. 4 is a back view with the back panel of the box removed.

Referring to the drawings, designates the front wall of the box, 2 the end walls, and 8 the back. The sides or top and bottom of the box are closed by sliding covers or lids at, so that the case is completely closed, a safeguard against tampering after the watches are first set, and any interference with the in terior mechanism may be detected, since a rod passes transversely through correspond ing openings 5 in the sliding lids andis sealed by the judges. Thus if the seal were broken it would indicate that the box had been tampered with. The case may contain as many watches as desired, and I have shown two forms of mechanism for operating the watches,

which are, however, the same in principle. The one on the right is adjusted to stop the watch by the operation of the shutter and the one on the left to start the-watch when the shutter is turned. The former arrangement is used when pigeon flights are undertaken which are not expected to require over twenty-four hours time, the limit of the running time of an ordinary watch with one winding, while the latter is used in flights the distances of which require over twenty-four hours time, and which exceed the running limit of the ordinary watch. The one on the right is set and started at the time the birds start on their flight and is stopped by the mechanism controlled by the shutter. The one on the left is wound and set with the judges watches, but is prevented from running until the return of the birds, when it is started.

The case is divided by a central partition (3 into an upper and lowercompartment, one of which carries the watches and the other their operating mechanism. The balancewheel, of each watch extends through the opening in the partition, so that it may be engaged by the operating mechanism. In the front of the case are compartments 7, in which are mounted shutters 8 to close the openings 8, through which the indentilication-band is introduced. The shutters are mounted upon the spindleof vthe knobs 9 and are provided with a notch 9 to be engaged by a pawl 10 when the shutter-is moved to close the opening 8, and the notch' is brought into alinement with the end of the pawl, and this will effect a starting or stopping of the timepieces, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Upon the partition 6 within the box is mounted a spring 11, having a downward ten sion bearing against the top of the pawl 10, causing the opposite end of the same to be normally held in contact with the edge of the shutter, so that it will engage the notch when the knob is turned.

12 designates a lever fulcrumed upon a post 12 and having one end engaged by the end of the pawl 10. It is normally held in this position by means of a spring 12, secured at one end to the post 12 and the other end bearingupwardly against the lever 12. This spring of course is very resilient and not of sufficient tension to overcome the action of the spring 11. The free end of the lever carries a downwardly-projecting pin 13, which contacts with the balance-wheel 14 of the watch to start or stop the mechanism, as the case may be.

The operation of the device is as follows: In a pigeon flight the owners of all of the contesting birds would have the watches in their timing devices set at the same hour at which the birds are supposed to be released at the starting-point to which they were shipped. Each bird carries a numbered identificationband on its legs, and when the birds arrive at their coops the band is removed and inserted through the opening 8 into the compartment 7. The knob 9 is now turned to operate the shutter and close the opening 8, whereupon the notch 9 in the shutter is brought into alinement with the end of the pawl 10, which is forced into the notch by means of the spring 11, which bears against its opposite end, and the lever 12 being engaged by the end of the pawl will likewise be rocked on its pivot, and the pin 13 will be caused to engage the balance-wheel 14 of the watch to stop the latter. The mechanism shown on the left of Figs. 3 and at, which is used in flights the distances of which require over twenty-four hours time, is similarly operated; but instead of stopping the watch it is started when the identification-band is inserted into the compartment 7 and the shutter is closed. In this form, however, I employ an additional lever 15, fulcrumed 011 an arm 16, attached to the central portion, and the end of the lever 12 is notched to receive the end of the lever 15, the latter of which carries the pin 13, which is normally held in engagement with the escapement-wheel, but which will be raised and disengaged therefrom to allow the watch to start. Upon one side of the central partition 6 is mounted a sleeve 17, in which slides a push-rod having a push button 19 on its end and by means of which the levers 12 are depressed so that the pawl 10 may be disengaged from the notch in the shutter and the machine readjusted for further use.

It will be understood that while two watches only are shown in the box each is entirely independent and separate from the others, and the case may be enlarged to accommodate as many as desired without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- cut, is-

1. In a timing device for carrier-pigeons, the combination with a box having compartments formed therein and an opening through the wall of the box into each compartment, of a pivoted shutter to close said opening and provided with a notch, a timing device mounted in the box, a pivoted pawl to engage the notch in the shutter when the shutter is operated, a post, a lever .tulcrumed on the post having one end in engagement with the pawl and the other end adapted to be thrown into engagement with the balance-wheel of the timing device when the shutter is turned to close the opening.

9. In a timing device for carrier-pigeons, the combination with a box having compartments therein and an opening through the wall into each compartment, of a pivoted shutter having a notch therein, a pivoted pawl, means to throw the pawl into engagement with the notch in the shutter when the shutter is operated, a timing device, a lever in engagement with the pawl and having an extension for engagement with the balancewheel of the timing device, and means to normally hold the lever out of engagement with the said wheel.

3. The combination of the box, compartments formed therein having openings communicating therewith, timing devices in the box, a shutter to close the opening and pro vided with a notch, a pawl, one end of which engages the shutter, a lever having one end in engagement with the other end of the pawl and its other end provided with a pin to engage the balance-wheel of the timing device when the shutter is turned to close the opening, and a push-rod mounted in the box to engage the lever to reset the pawl, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD IEUYSSE.

\Vitnesses:

Gnoncn Omscn, Il'ueo Omscn. 

